Weird Specialized Hard Rock dropouts.

[mechagouki]

We have a 1995 Hard Rock sport GX in the shop at the moment, it was set up single speed with no tensioner. In my many years of wrenching I've never seen the like of it - anyone know if there was any special reason for this design?

 

[Charlieboy28]

Looks like a home jobby, like he has filled the drop out with weld and then drilled and shaped it to set th wheel at the right distance

 

[danson67]

It looks a bit more original than that, to me.
Older mid-range Specialized Hardrocks, Rockhoppers etc had these weird hybrid dropouts in the late 80s:

A kind of 'missing link' dropout between horizontals and verticals.
I've never seen one with the extra hole in the flesh, but the filled in horizontal is pretty normal.

Another original paint 1990 HardRock one on Minneapolis bikeLove:

No idea what he the hole's supposed to be for, though. Weight saving compared with the older model?

All the best,

 

[Archemist]

for a lockwasher / tab?

 

[mechagouki]

Thanks for the replies,

I guess I was hoping for a "so obvious I should have thought of it" type solution, but Archemists safety washer theory has merit, I've just never seen safety washers on a rear wheel. Surely not for wight saving, I mean it's a Hard Rock for starters, and how much would two little bits of steel 1/4" across actually weigh?

 

[danson67]

I wasn't entirely serious about the weight saving...

Given the huge variety of dropouts that seem to have turned up on mid-range Specialized over the years, they are probably something left over in a big bin at GIANT.
Sadly, I doubt the hole was designed in by the dropout forging company for anything specific.
The 1995 dropout is formed from the same blank as the 1988 dropout, from 7 years earlier. The dropout slot would need to be milled out of the forging and faced, so the back end of the slot might as well be like that as any other.

All the best,

 

[FSXStumpy]

My 1992 or 93 hardrock had the same dropout. It's "factory stock", and normal for a Spec of that vintage.

J

 

[velomaniac]

Perfectly normal on specialized of that time frame. Possibly they had decided to move away from long horizontal dropouts but had a load of old stock to shift so only cut out what was needed.

 

[foz]

Isn't it a thru-axle prototype?

 

[Sundayjumper]

To add to the replies, my '89 Rock Combo has dropouts like that too.